The Language of the Future
Sufi Terminology
by Murshid F.A. Ali ElSenossi

iman
Faith

(Iman) is to feel secure and safe. Iman is belief, and it is the verbal expression of that belief and it is putting that belief into practice. It is the second rung on the ladder to perfection: verbal surrender (Islam), faith (Iman), perfection (Ihsan), the Knowledge of Certainty ('Ilm al Yaqin), the Eye of Certainty ('Ayn al Yaqin), the Truth of Certainty (Haqq al Yaqin) and Unconditional surrender with Knowledge (Islam).


See also: Bowing Eye of Certainty Islam (B) Knowledge of Certainty Perfection Perfect Man Self-Complaining Truth of Certainty
(Ruku'). The bowing posture of the ritual prayer. The ruku' is the outward bodily symbol of an inner reality. It symbolizes both the traveller's arrival at 'The Self that Blames' and also the second rung (faith) on the ladder towards Knowledge.
('Ayn al Yaqin). The Eye of Certainty. In the triad of the Knowledge of Certainty the Eye of Certainty the Truth of Certainty, the Eye of Certainty could be likened to actually seeing the light of the flames of a fire, after having merely heard a description of that fire. This is the stage of knowledge before being consumed by the flames themselves (Truth of Certainty). The Eye of Certainty is the inner eye or insight. The opening of this 'eye is a miracle and a mystery and it only comes about through the Mercy of the All Merciful. It is Allah's gift to His slave through His Infinite Grace. The seven levels of knowledge through which the traveller must pass on his Journey of Return to the Source are Surrender, Belief, Perfection; Knowledge of Certainty, Eye of Certainty and unconditional surrender with Knowledge.
The Surrender. The Journey of Return to Allah is from the first Islam which is merely verbal submission, through the levels of ascent to the second and Real Islam, which is total and unconditional surrender with knowledge and love to the Will of Allah. The seven levels of knowledge through which the traveller must pass are Surrender; Faith; Perfection; Knowledge of Certainty; Eye of Certainty; Truth of Certainty and Surrender.
('Ilm al Yaqin). There are three stages of Certainty - ''llm al Yaqin (The Knowledge of Certainty), 'Ayn al Yaqin (The Eye of Certainty) and Haqq al yaqin (The Truth of Certainty). When considering this triad the Knowledge of Certainty occupies the first stage. It could be likened to hearing the description of a fire. It is followed by the Eye of Certainty, which is like actually seeing the light of the flames of that fire. Finally there is the Truth of Certainty which is being consumed by the flames of that blazing fire. Haqq al yaqin is the final stage in the ascent before attaining Real Islam. The seven levels of knowledge through which the traveller must pass are Islam; Iman; Ihsan; 'Ilm al Yaqin; 'Ayn al Yaqin; Haqq al Yaqin and Islam. (Surrender, Faith, Perfection, Knowledge of Certainty, The Eye of Certainty, The Truth of Certainty and Total Surrender and Submission).
(Ihsan). Excellence or perfection or sanctifying virtue or spiritual beauty. Ihsan has three degrees: 1).To do the good that should be done with one's property, words, acts and states. 2). To worship with total presence like one was actually seeing one's Lord. 3). To contemplate Allah in all things, at all times and always. Perfection is the third rung on the seven-runged ladder of Knowledge. These seven levels are Islam, Iman; Ihsan; 'Ilm al yaqin; 'Ayn al yaqin; Haqq al yaqin; Islam. (Surrender, Faith, Perfection, Knowledge of Certainty, The Eye of Certainty, The Truth of Certainty and Total Surrender and Submission).
(Al Insan al Kamil). He is the viceregent of Allah, through whom Allah contemplates His Own Name-derived Perfection. The Perfect Man has actualized the divine form and in carrying the Trust has fulfilled his reason for being. It is through the Perfect Man that Allah enters the world. Al Insan al Kamil is also one of the names given to the Supreme Isthmus. Man consists of a body and a spirit which governs it. The cosmos also consists of a body and a spirit which governs it. Its spirit is the Perfect Man. Without him the cosmos is likened to a discarded body.
(Haqq al Yaqin). There are three stages of Certainty 'Ilm al Yaqin (The Knowledge of Certainty), 'Ayn al yaqin (The Eye of Certainty) and Haqq al Yaqin (The Truth of Certainty). When considering this triad the Truth of Certainty could be likened to being consumed by the flames of a blazing fire after the two preliminary stages of 'Ilm al Yaqin (merely hearing a description of that fire) and 'Ayn al Yaqin (actually seeing the light of the flames of a fire). Haqq al Yaqin is the final stage in the ascent before attaining Real Islam. The seven levels of knowledge through which the traveller (Salik) must pass are Islam; Iman; Ihsan; 'Ilm al Yaqin; 'Ayn al Yaqin; Haqq al Yaqin and Islam. (Surrender, Faith, Perfection, Knowledge of Certainty, The Eye of Certainty, The Truth of Certainty and Total Surrender and Submission).

Islam means peace and the person who follows this peace is called the Muslim. From another root meaning of the word, Islam means complete submission and surrender, and the person who submits and surrenders himself to the will of his Lord is the person who has accepted Allah as his Creator, Sustainer, Lord and the Master of the Day of Judgement.

So from both the definitions Islam means a way of life for people who have opted to follow peace as opposed to chaos, order as opposed to disorder, discipline as opposed to indiscipline, submission as opposed to refusal, surrender as opposed to insolence, obedience as opposed to disobedience etc. All these things combined together to define Islam as away of life by which a person becomes a follower of peace and not a follower of chaos. And the followers of peace are the Muslims whose duty it is: "to establish peace and what is good, and to prevent chaos and what is evil, and they are the best people." (Al-Qur'an 3:110)



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